Toggle clamp fin retaining band



Nov. 27, 1956 w. HILLMER 2,771,842

TOGGLE CLAMP FIN RETAINING BAND Filed Aug. 21, 1953 4 INVENTOR.

WILLY HILLMER avg ATTORNEYS The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

This invention relates to rockets and more particularly to improvements in apparatus for securing stabilizing fins thereto.

Rockets of the fixed fin type, due to the projections of the fins from the motor tubes, require excessive space for their handling. To minimize the spatial requirements and otherwise expedite shipping procedures between points of manufacture and forward theaters of use, it has been the practice to provide rockets with removable fins which are attached to the rockets at their forward theater of use, thus permitting the rocket tubes to be shipped more compactly and without danger of damage to the fins. To render the latter procedure most effective, it is imperative that the fins be attachable to the rockets in a minimum of time. In one form of construction now in use the fins are attached to the tubes with a fin clamping band surrounding the tube, the ends of which are drawn together by a screw. This construction has been found objectionable because of the loss of time entailed in attaching the fins and because of the necessity of a screw driver to rotate the screw. It is apparent, accordingly, that it would be advantageous to provide a clamp of such type which could be quickly attached to a rocket and without the use of any tools.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a rocket fin clamping band which may be quickly applied and without use of tools.

Another object is to provide a clamping band of the foregoing type, the ends of which are drawn together by a toggle device which may be positively locked against retrograde movement.

A further object is to provide a toggle device of the foregoing type which is formed of bent wire and which may be readily produced in large quantities at minimum expense.

Still further objects, advantages and salient features will become more apparent from the description to fol low, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the rear end of a rocket with its fins attached thereto by the subject of the invention, portions being broken away; and

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 22, Fig. 1, internal dtails of the motor tube being omitted.

Referring in detail to the drawing, rocket motor tube is of any conventional construction to which is attached a pair of identical metal members 11, 11a, a description of one of which will serve for both. Member 11 is a sheet metal stamping having a pair of outwardly ranging stabilizing fins 12, 12 connected at their inner ends by an arcuate portion 13 which is shaped to conform to the outside surface of tube 10. Slots 14, 14 are provided at the inner ends of the fins through which band 15 extends.

United States Patent 0 '"ice Band 15 extends around the tube, as shown in Fig. 2, its ends having curled portions 16, 17. The bight portion 18 of a U-shaped bent wire member 19 pivotally extends through curled portion 16, the outer ends of legs 20, 20 being bent inwardly toward each other to provide pivot pins 21, 21. The bight portion 22 of another wire member 23 pivotally extends through curled portion 17, the wire, adjacent the ends of the bight portion, being bent and looped to provide portions 24, 24 which extend around and pivotally engage pivot pins 21, 21. Crossing leg portions 25, 25 extend from portions 24, 24 and terminate with confronting ends 26, 26, which engage beneath an offset portion 27 of band 15.

When the fins are to be attached to the rocket, members 19, 23, which form the links of a toggle, are disposed in a position at which the distance between ends 16, 17 is a maximum. With the band disposed around the tube, the fin assemblies are disposed in position beneath the band and legs 25, 25 rotated clockwise (Fig. 2) from a position approximately from that shown to the position shown. As will be apparent, the axis of pivotation of loops 24 moves in an are around the axis of bight 22, which efiects relative movement of ends 16, 17 in a direction toward each other. At a point of rotation, somewhat before that shown, the axes of bight 16, bight 22 and pins 24 will all be intersected by a straight line. As the legs 25 are moved clockwise from the position just described ends 24 are toggled over center so that the tension in the band tends to retain it thereat and prevent retrograde movement. While the toggle is self locking, as just described, it is desirable that a more positive lock be provided which is the ofiice of ends 26. To etfect engagement of these ends beneath portion 27, they must be spread apart against their inward resilient urge and when legs 25, 25 are moved to their final limit position, they are released and ends 26, 26 spring into the positions shown.

While only one band has been illustrated to retain the pair of members 11, 11a to the rocket, it will be understood that a second similar band may be employed at the forward ends of the members, which construction is actually employed in the specific rockets referred to.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. In a rocket of the type having a cylindrical casing, the combination comprising; a plurality of angularly disposed paired fins adapted to be secured to the outer surface of the casing, each pair of said fins having a connecting cylindrical portion extending in a circumferential direction about the casing and outwardly ranging fins at each end of said portion and having slots in the zones between said cylindrical portion and said outwardly ranging fins, each slot having an opening at the end of the pair of fins, a circumferentially extending fin retaining band adapted to be passed through the slot openings and be disposed in said slots and engaging said arcuate portions for securing said paired fins to the outer surface of said casing, a toggle device comprising a first bent wire member having a portion pivotally connected to one end of said band, a second bent resilient wire member having a portion pivotally connected to the other end of said band and having looped portions intermediate its ends at opposite sides of the band pivotally connected to the free ends of said first member, intermediate portions of the second member crossing each other and crossing the band, the free ends of said second member adapted to resiliently spring beneath said band, the construction and arrangement being such that rotation of said second member toggles the first member to locked position and its free ends, when sprung beneath the band, prevent unauthorized retrograde movement of the toggle device from its locked position. a

2. In a clamping band of the type adapted to extend about an object having a toggle device for shortening the peripheral extent of the band, whereby it may clampingly engage the object, said toggle device comprising a bent wire member having a portion pivotally connected to one end of the band, a second bent resilient wire member having a portion pivotally connected to the other end of the band and having looped portions intermediate its ends pivotally connected to free ends of the first member, the improvements, in combination, wherein intermediate portions of the second member cross each other and diagonal 1y cross the band from one side edge to the other, free ends of the intermediate portions being directed toward References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 72,030 Hadfield Dec. 10, 1867 343,918 McDonald June 15, 1886 588,717 Law Aug. 24, 1897 2,312,364 Shepherd Mar. 2, 1943 2,494,026 Anderson Jan. 10, 1950' 2,597,703

Busacker May 20, 1952 

